AsiaLIFE

This month Accor’s Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra will become the first five-star hotel to open in the Cambodian capital for a decade. Mark Bibby Jackson talks with the man tasked with making it a success.

Can you explain why Accor has chosen this moment to open a 5-star hotel in Phnom Penh?
The region is booming and yet Phnom Penh, until now, hasn’t really been able to capitalise on the wider world’s interest. Sofitel has been repositioned since 2007. Today worldwide we are recognised as a true luxury brand, and the new Sofitel in Phnom Penh will maximise all the advantages of the group’s brand position to make a difference.

I believe there are 11 food and beverage outlets at the hotel, is there a market for these in Phnom Penh?
There is a market for quality, service and consistency. Now, you can discover more and more trendy places in Phnom Penh and they are all very successful. The market understands very well what is luxury and all generations are eager and proud to experience it in Phnom Penh. This is Cambodia today and it marks an end to its sad past history. In addition, the middle class is growing fast and there is a consistent increase in the number of visitors coming to the country. The market is ready.

Can you also explain what is special about Accor’s room concept?
The concept of Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra is a colonial style hotel, but with a very high tech interior. The rooms are all fully equipped with internet connectivity so you get your emails or favourite tunes from your ipod onto the flat screen in the suites. The bathroom is designed to fit with all actual needs in term of space, light, mirror and equipment, and the amenities are really high quality, L’occitane, Hermes, etc. We also provide the Club Millésime Sofitel concept for all guests staying at our executive floors, with a butler service, private concierge and reception, free WiFi and internet and many other features including access to our club millésime located on the rooftop.

Do you have any special plans for expats living in Phnom Penh?
We will provide a unique club—the Phokeethra Sports Club—with tennis, squash, fitness centre, kids’ club, a private pool, bar, and a full team of professional staff to provide personal training on an exclusive basis. It’s also easy to access our park with large trees and extensive private parking. This will be a select place to enjoy quality time, to pamper yourselves and to relax in a unique environment.

The Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) is coming to Phnom Penh in January, are you going to be ready in time?
We already have our first function confirmed for Dec. 3 and the ATF will be in January. There is no doubt about us being ready for this great event in Phnom Penh.

You come across as someone who is extremely confident about the future of tourism in Cambodia generally and Phnom Penh specifically, why is this?
The Kingdom of Cambodia has experienced real and long political stability, the increase in the number of visitors never dropped even during the last financial crisis, business is growing fast, there are more and more planes coming and the borders with our neighbours are more open. Visa fees are waived for some countries in Asean so we are moving to a sort of “Asean Schengen space”. Economic growth is still around 5 percent for 2010, and will increase in the years to come. The Minister of Tourism Dr. Thong Khon is working hard with all his team on marketing and raising the quality of the infrastructure and service everywhere. He has great plans to develop the coast to have our bays classified among the most beautiful bays in the world and to make Cambodia a destination in its own right rather than an extension to neighbouring countries.

Accor plans to open a resort in Ream in the next few years, what intentions does the group have for Cambodia generally?
Accor and Sofitel are convinced about the future of the country so we are developing all our brands from Siem Reap to Ream. We are confident of having the right brands for different merging markets.

What do you believe is needed to make tourism in the country really take-off?
A full open sky and better visibility of what Cambodia is today in all main markets.

The Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra opens on December 18, 2010.